Removal of caffeine from coffee extract



May 8, 1945. H. GROSSMAN REMOVAL OF CAFFEIN FROM COFFEE EXTRACT Filed Jan. 16, 1943 INVENTO R HAROLD GfilfSMA/V ATTO R N EYS 'the essential oils is inexpensive, effective;

I Patented May 8, 1945 CAFFEINE FROM COFFEE EXTRACT REMOVAL OF FFICE;

Harold Grossman, Montclair, N. J. Application Jlnuary'lfi, 1943, Serial No. 472,558

'4 Claims. o1. 99--69)I Thi invention relates to the preparation of cofiee as a beverageand particularly the separation of cafieineirom coifee extract during the preparation thereof;

Caffeine is a bitter alkaloid which is present in cofiee and soluble in the water used to extract and. other elements which afford the pleasant taste and aroma of the beverage. Many persons are susceptible tonervous irritation caused by consumption of the alkaloid. Attempts have and aroma. and is therefore unsatisfactory.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a simple and efl'ective means for separatcoifee extract, preserving at the same time the desirable characteristics of .the extract as a beverage.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent. as itis better understood by ref- 1 erence to the following specification and accompanylng'drawing, in which Fig. 1 is avertical section through a portion of a typical form of coffee maker embodying the invention; and

tion of coifee extract can be removed as the extract is formed by incorporating a selective adsorbent for the caffeine in a suitable support,

paper, through which the extract is passed. While I easily used and other wise generally satisfactory, other forms of supports may be used. For example, the adsorbent can be enclosed in. a. casing of textile fabric or' incorporated in a porous ceramic material; It is necessary merely to aflord a medium through which the extract will pass and which will ensure contact of the extract with the adsorbent for the caffeine.

As a selective adsorbent for caffeine, I have found that certain hydrated silicates are most eifective, notably hydrated aluminum silicate and hydrated magnesium tri-silica'te. Fuller's earth, a natural form of aluminum silicate com the beverage I prefer paper because it been made heretofore to remove caf v on the weight of the paper is element. The extract is thus factory. The details of passing the extract into contact with the adsorbing agent.

In the preferredform of the invention, a filter paper is prepared by beating with paper pulp (cellulose fibres) of the'type' commonly used in preparing filter paper, a proportion of the. de-

sired adsorbentmaterial hereinbefore described. When the adsorbent material has been incorporated thoroughly with the pulp, the latter may be formed into paper in the usual manner. The

thickness of the paper ma vary. A paper havthickness of the order of .005 inch is satispaper manufacture form no part of the present invention and are well known to' those skilled in the art.

The proportion of the adsorbent material employed may vary over a wide range. As little as 2% of the weight of the paper is eflective, but the effect in removing cafieine is relatively slow. If more than 25% of the adsorbent is added, the

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- paper is likely to be brittle. Ingeneral, I have found that about 10% of added adsorbent based The paper may be formed desired size and filter elements of the desired size to fit extractors of various types may be out therefrom. Usually the filter elements are circular. In use, the filter element may be placed on any suitable support such as a foraminous plate. The cofiee is placed on the filter element and hot water is passed through the coflee and filter subjected to the action of the adsorbent which selectively removes in sheets of any the caifeine without affecting the taste and aroma taining magnesium and other impurities, may be used in place of purealuminum silicate. All of the materials mentioned are readily obtainable and each is effective in adsorbing cafi'eine from thereon. Hot water-is supp of the beverage. Suflicient of the caffeine is thus separated to avoid'the usual efiect of the alkaloid on the nervous systems of sensitive persons.

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates .a receptacle for' the beverage, supporting a cup 6 hav mg a foraminou bottom 1. The filter'element' 3 covers the bottom I and the coffee is disposed ed from any source and poured through the coifee and filter element: The beverage collects in the-receptacle 5 and the cafieine content is materially reduced-as the .result of adsorption in the filter element.

The simple coflee'maker described-may be replaced by the percolator or paratus. The filter element pose effectively in any apparatus in which the cofiee extract can be passed therethrough, and hence into intimate contact with the adsorbent agent.

Preliminary treatment of coffee to remove catmost satisfactory.

vacuum types of ap serves the same purunnecessary to produce abeverage suitable for caffeine-sensitive individuals since, in

accordance with the present invention, sufficient cafleine can be removed as the coffee extract is madeand substantially without expense.

Various changes may be made in the details of the filter element and the apparatus in which it is used without departing from the invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. The method of selectively removing caffeine from coffee extract which comprises contacting the extract with a silicate from the class consisting of aluminum and magnesium.

2. The method of-brewing cofiee extract which comprises supporting a mass of finely divided cofiee above a filter medium embodying a silicate from the class consisting of aluminum and magnesium, passing hot water through the finely comprises passing hot water serially through finely divided coffee and a filter sheet comprising cellulose fibers embodying magnesium tri-silicate, whereby a coffee brew is obtained and caffeine then selectively removed therefrom.

HAROLD GROSSMAN. 

